Electrolytic generator.



G. ELLIS.

ELECTROLYTIC GENERATOR.

APPLICATION IILED MAYZQ, 1913 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

U. ELLIS.

ELECTROLYTIC GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29,1913.

Patented Feb. 24 1911 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z C. ELLIS.

ELECTROLYTIC GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914,

3 SHEETSSHBET 3.

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llili throughout.

ELECTRQLYTIG GEBTERATGR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ma eml l. atentecl lr F a that applicatihn filed. may 29, Serial No. tlllflli'l.

To all whom it magi concern:

.Be it known that l, Ciinnnron ELLIS, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of lllontclair, in the county of Essex and .Fltate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Electrolytic Gene 'ators. oi which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrolytic generators for producing hydrogen and oxygen and relates in particular to a generator having anode and cathode separated by a porous diaphragm all as more fully hereinafter described and as claimed.

The accompanying drawings show the apparatus in its preferred form.

in the drawings Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section and l ig's. 8 and 4 are vertical sections.

Like parts are denoted by like characters In the drawing 1 is a tank preferably of elongated rectangular shape tending around the upper portion thereof and being designated by 3 at the lowest part. This gutter slopes slightly fronrthe end 2 to the end 3 as indicated by the dotted lines.

a is a drain pipe carrying the drain cock 5.

6 is a stand pipe having" the gage glass 7 and filling tunnel 8.

9 is the top or cover of the generator from which depend the rods 10 held in place by the clamps ii, the whole suspending the anode l5.

13 is a diaphragm which may be of ashestos cloth, the pores oi which may be filled with a paste composed of any suitable alkali-resistant filling material. The plate 15 carries the symmetrical "l" projections which a form cells rectangular in shape partly open on one side and if considerable height, producing what may be termed tlues along which the generated gas may pass without agitating the entire body of liquid, but pro ducing merely a local agitation along the tines. I

The cover is provided with a drainage lip i land has a depending flange 12 to which thediaphragrn sack is tastened by means of bands strapped about the outside of: this flange.

I Il'Z' and lustre sight feeds, 1'? indicating,

the flow gas trons. the anode compartpreteraloly. made of cast iron having the gutter 2 exment and 18 the flow of gas from the cathode compartment.

18 is a sa fety vent fortheanode compartment.

19 is a hoisting lug.

550 is a drain cock for the pocltct 26 of the gutter 3. y

21 is insulation separating and. insulating the cover 9 from the lower or cathode portionl are T projections arranged symmetri cally along the inner walls oi the cathode chamber and forming the cathode flues 25.

base at certain points in order to give greater stability.

in operating this apparatus a solution at saycaustic soda or caustic potash of a concentration ct 15% or so is placed in the rec tangular tank, filling same to a point just below the flange 19 and as shown by the dotted line just above the gutter line; oil is placed in the gutters 2 and 3 so as to corn stitutc a sealing fluid by virtue of the projecting flange which depends into the gutters 2 and 3. The anode is preferably insulated from the cover 9 by insulation 28, although this is not necessary when an oil seal is c111 ployed. A current of considerable strength being passed through the apparatus hydrogen is developed in the outer compartmenh.

a large proportion of which is passed up through the cathode lines without serious commotion and in a like manner oxygen is generated in the anode compartment and the gas is collected at the surface without such pressure as would tend to cause the gas to pass through the diaphragm l3 and produce hydrogen and oxygen of such low grade as to he unusable.

i The seals 1'? and 18 are filled with any suitable liquid through which the gas bub-- bles and through which the rate oil delivery of the. gas may be approximately gaged.

till

let

"direction of the anode coin art-ment.

small apparatus a great output of gas is obtained without contamination to any sub-- stantial degree of one gas with the other.

The seal. 18 preferably is arranged to exert a greater pressure against the outgoing gas than is the seal 17 as indicated by the drawing. This is to be done only when hydrogen of very high purity is required, such for example when making hydrogen for hardening oils, as by exerting a greater pressure in the cathode compartment, there is less tendency of oxygen passing into that compartment. Leakage, if any, is rather in the lVith this v rovision and with t e likewise pre ferred proportioning of the anode to the cathode active surface in the ratio of 2:3, a gas of very desirable purity may be secured.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which com prises a rectangular receptacle having T v shaped projectionson its inner-walls, a cover therefor and depending from said cover an apo'de consisting of a plate having T shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its surface and paralleling the T shaped pro jections of the cathode wall.

2. An apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which comprises a rectangular receptacle having T shaped projections on its inner walls, a cover therefor and. depending from said cover an anode consisting of a plate having 5'' shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its turface and paralleling the T shaped projections of the cathode wall and having a gutter disposed along the sides of said generator for the removal of spray.

3. Ah apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which comprises a rectangular receptacle havingT- shaped projections on its inner walls, a cover therefor and dependin from said cover an anode consisting of a p ate having T shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its surface and paralleling the T shaped projeations of the cathode wall, the ratio of the active surface of the afiode to the cathode being substantially 2 :3;

4 An apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which comprises a rectangular receptacle having T shaped projections on its inner walls, a cover therefor and depending from said cover an anode consisting of a plate having T shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its surface and paralleling the T shaped pro-. jections of the cathode wall; the cathode compartment being adapted to maintain a slightly higher pressure than the anode compartment; whereby hydrogen of high purity is secured.

5. A11 apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which comprises a rectangular receptacle having T shaped projections on its inner Walls, a cover therefor and depending from said cover an anode consisting of a plate having T shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its surface and paralleling the'T'shap'ed'pro jections of the cathodcwall; the cathode 5 surface being of 50% greater area than the anode surface and the cathode compartment being adapted to be maintained under a pressure-higher than that of the anode compartment; whereby hydrogen gas substan= 9 tially free from oxygen is secured.

6. An apparatus for electrolytically generating hydrogen and oxygen which comprises a rectangular guttered receptacle having substantially T shaped projections on 5 its inner walls, a cover therefor and depending from said cover an anode consisting of a plate having substantially T shaped projections symmetrically disposed along its surface and paralleling the T shaped projcctions of the cathode wall; whereby gas flues are formed assisting in the delivery of the gas without undue commotion.

7. Apparatus of the character described, comprising an outer receptacle constituting 5 an electrode and provided with internally arranged upstanding T-shaped ribs afiording upstanding channels therebetweenopen git corresponding sides and upper, ends, a plate mounted within the receptacle cono stituting an electrode of opposite polarity and provided upon opposite sides thereof with upstanding T-shaped ribs affording upstanding channels therebetween open at corresponding sides and upper ends, and a casing surrounding the inner electrode.-

8. Apparatus of the character described, comprising an outer receptacle constituting an electrode and provided with internally arranged upstanding spaced substantially c T-shaped ribs, a plate mounted within the receptacle constituting an electrode of opposite polarity and provided with upstanding spaced substantially T-shaped ribs, and means surrounding the plate and dividing 25 the receptacle into-inner and outer chambers.

9. Apparatus of the character described, comprisin an outer receptacle serving as elect! ough surrounding th 5 5 oe'zee'r per portion of the receptacle and having its wardly of and adjacent the upper end of the bottom wall horizontally inclined down- I receptacle.

Wardly toward one end of the receptacle, a l Signed at Montelair in the county of cover for the receptacle suitably mounted I Essex and State of New Jersey this 23rd 5 upon the upper end of the trough, a dependday of May A D. 1913.

ing flan carried h the cover and arw 1,

ranged bfiiweenthe will of the trough and (JARLE EON ELLIS the upper end of the receptacle to form a i Witnesses:

liquid seal therewith,'and a deflector flange i B. M. ELLIS,

10 depending from the cover and arranged in- -g F. GARBUTI. 

